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Web Accessibility

How to Interpret and Act on Accessibility Compliance Reports

AccessiBuddy Team •
#Accessibility#WCAG#Compliance

Accessibility compliance reports are essential for ensuring your website or application meets established accessibility standards like WCAG 2.1. However, these reports can be dense and technical, making it challenging to determine what to prioritize. This guide will help you break down these reports, understand their findings, and take meaningful actions.

1. Understanding the Basics of Accessibility Compliance Reports

Compliance reports typically evaluate your website against key accessibility standards. They often include:

  • Summary of Findings: An overview of issues and their severity levels.
  • Success Criteria Violations: Specific WCAG criteria that were not met.
  • Detailed Issue Descriptions: Explanations of what failed and why.
  • Recommended Remediations: Steps to resolve the issues.

Key Terms to Know

  • WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): A set of international guidelines for making web content accessible.
  • Levels (A, AA, AAA): Prioritization of guidelines, with A being the minimum and AAA the most stringent.
  • Severity Levels: Issues are often classified as critical, major, or minor, depending on their impact on users.

2. Prioritizing Issues for Remediation

Accessibility reports can contain numerous findings. Use these steps to focus your efforts:

a. Start with Critical Issues

Critical issues typically block users with disabilities from accessing essential content or features. Examples include:

  • Missing alternative text for images.
  • Non-functional navigation for keyboard users.
  • Lack of captions for multimedia content.

b. Address High-Traffic Pages

Focus on pages with the most traffic or business impact first, such as:

  • Homepages.
  • Product pages.
  • Checkout or contact forms.

c. Fix Common Patterns

Issues that appear across multiple pages, like poor color contrast or inconsistent heading structures, should be addressed globally.

d. Plan for Long-Term Improvements

Some fixes, like redesigning a complex widget, may require more time and resources. Schedule these alongside smaller, quick wins.

3. Using Automated vs. Manual Testing

Automated Tools

Automated testing tools are excellent for identifying basic issues like missing ARIA attributes or invalid HTML. Popular tools include:

  • Axe
  • Wave
  • Lighthouse

Manual Testing

Manual testing is essential for detecting nuanced issues such as logical focus order, meaningful link text, or usability concerns for assistive technology users.

4. Collaboration is Key

Involve Cross-Functional Teams

Accessibility isn’t just the responsibility of developers. Engage:

  • Designers: To create accessible layouts and color schemes.
  • Content Creators: To ensure clear, concise, and descriptive content.
  • QA Testers: To validate fixes and prevent regressions.

Include Users with Disabilities

Incorporate feedback from people who rely on assistive technologies. Their input is invaluable in creating truly inclusive experiences.

5. Tracking Progress and Maintaining Compliance

Use an Accessibility Tracker

Maintain a centralized document or tool to:

  • Record issues.
  • Track progress on remediations.
  • Log retesting results.

Schedule Regular Audits

Accessibility is an ongoing process. Plan for periodic reviews to ensure new content and features remain compliant.

Conclusion

Accessibility compliance reports are a roadmap to creating inclusive digital experiences. By understanding their findings and strategically prioritizing remediation efforts, you can make significant strides in accessibility. Remember, accessibility is not a one-time project but an ongoing commitment to inclusivity.

Ready to make your website more accessible? Explore AccessiBuddy’s tools and resources to get started today.

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